


Always

by wanderingsmith



Category: The Magnificent Seven (2016)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-13
Updated: 2017-02-13
Packaged: 2018-09-24 00:03:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9689747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wanderingsmith/pseuds/wanderingsmith
Summary: "A steaming *bath*, mon cher!  Have you ever *seen* such a thing of beauty??"





	

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I ain't got no money, and nobody'd be daft enough to pay me for this. As it is thought, so let it be said; you make the toys, I play with 'em.
> 
> This was actually 90% written last week, if not 2 weeks ago, now: no relation to Waiting which just happened all of a sudden last night. though I realise there are similar feelings/lines  
> This was born from the thread that led here http://wanderingsmithca.tumblr.com/post/155257499038/i-think-my-personal-headcanon-is-that-before-he
> 
> anyway. there was a request for more fic. and a stated preference for non-explicitPWP, lol, so.. I think this qualifies

For the first time in Billy's memory, neither the arbiter nor the competitors, nor even the crowd, had so much as seemed annoyed at his winning. Goody hadn't needed to say a word as he smilingly walked the arena as an unquestioned companion of the winner with his hat held out. Billy even thought he'd heard a few cheers when he'd made his last throw. Certainly he'd seen his opponent recover from his surprise and give a quick laugh before *shaking Billy's hand*!!

He'd still been tempted to leave town in a hurry before the spell lifted, but Goody had actually been in a good mood, even after the inherent danger of the contest. Probably helped that not having to introduce himself meant that no one was reminding him of the war, now. Either way, Billy was inclined to do anything in his power to keep that relaxed smile on the lips of the man he loved. And to get some full civilized meals in front of him while he was likely to eat them.

The fellow of apparently Mexican descent running the town's saloon, which either explained the town's strange attitude or added to the strangeness of it, accepted Billy's money for a decent room, and even a bath, without a blink. And Billy could smell something tasty being cooked downstairs as they got undressed in the warm bathing room, together behind the safely locked door; a luxury he no more remembered than a win without insults.

"A steaming *bath*, mon cher! Have you ever *seen* such a thing of beauty??"

Billy smiled at the light-hearted crow, attention on Goody taking off his shirt as Billy shook out and dropped his vest to join his belt and jacket on a chair. "Yes. I have." When Goody gave him a surprised look, Billy strolled his eyes down from the man's smooth shoulders, even as he leisurely undid the clasp on his gloves, to a pale chest scattered with wiry hair that thickened near the high waist of the slacks he still wore. He wasn't surprised when his view started shaking before being covered by an awkward hand, Goody's easy laugh ringing out, that too-rare truly happy smile meeting Billy's eyes when he looked back up, for all Goody's skin was reddening in the lantern light.

"Knew there was a lying romantic hiding inside that beautiful pragmatic hide of yours, Billy Rocks!"

In the middle of taking his shirt off, Billy kept his response at a snort. On the cloth clearing his head, he just caught Goody giving him a wink before he turned to gesture at the tub again, "And this *soap*, Billy! A lovely," Billy chuckled as Goody brought the white bar up to his nose for an exaggerated sniff, "A lovely pine-scented soap, no doubt made to turn to bubbles and soothe tender skin that has seen *just* such cruel vagaries as we have."

"Then get naked so you can enjoy the hot water." He grinned as Goody pouted at him before starting to work off his boots.

"Are you planning to stand watching all evening, chéri?" Billy jerked his distracted eyes back up to meet Goody's uncomfortable smirk, "Not that I don't appreciate the view, you understand, but I was quite looking forward to feeling your skin slick against mine."

Billy rolled his eyes, but got back to undressing; he'd been looking forward to the luxury of a bath, himself.

Even more so when he heard a few splashes followed with a blissful moan.

He got his revenge when he deliberately faced the chair with his gear, leaving his back to the bath. And took both pins out of his hair. 

And chuckled to hear a much softer moan: little more than a sigh and hum, matched by the almost sleepy look of appreciation fixed on him when he turned. He would never get enough of having Goody desire him so simply.

He knew very well he was just as soft-hearted when he stepped closer and took the dripping hand held out to him, leaning down to bring the callused palm to his lips in a more intimate version of the supposedly 'courtly' gesture he'd seen Goody pull on a few women, and many a giggling girl-child.

"Oh you *do* do that *very* well, mon cher," Billy winked, proud of causing the breathy response, "Now get your tempting ass into this tub." Billy's surprised crack of laughter echoed in the room as he pulled Goody forward and then slipped behind him to take any chill of the tub onto himself. Wrangling his hair to his sides and Goody to his chest, and then leaning back with a sigh as the heat soaked into his bones, faintly disgruntled at the strange luxury of a *headrest* attached to the tub's edge, but more interested in the water rising to just under his shoulders with the two of them sitting in it, knees bent to fit, but still covered by the blessed water and the bubbles Goody had somehow already got to appear on it.

"Though I would always choose your ass over anything else in the world, you have to admit, mon cher, that this is a little slice of heaven."

"Yes Goody," he stroked one hand, mostly idly, over Goody's shoulder, shaping the muscles as he smoothed down his arm, feeling the familiar ridges of old scars slipping under his palm, "Heaven."

Supper would be available for hours yet: they didn't need to hurry. As long as the water was warm, they could lay there in soft comfort like the spoiled gentry in Goody's stories. The heat soaking into the aches of long days riding, short nights sleeping on hard ground, and joints getting old. And for all they were the same age, the abuse Goody's body had taken in the war, and in the years before Billy could care for him, had done worse to his mate than Billy's years of hard labour and surviving mostly off the land had done him. 

He understood Goody's glee at the heat. Wished, visceral and sudden, that he could provide this for Goody regularly, that he could give him an easier life; give them both an easier life, after the darkness they'd survived.

Goody sagging loosely against him drew him out of his regrets and to this present time, when they *did* have this luxury, when Goody could lounge with hot water covering his shoulders and Billy could hold him. Could stroke and feel nothing but heat-softened flesh, without chill, without grit. The usual tension in Goody's neck and shoulders gone, arms melting under Billy's touch. When he felt Goody's wet beard float over his hand, he followed it up, barely applying any pressure to tilt Goody's jaw up until he could lean in and mouth soft touches on the field of scruff they hadn't shaved off yet. It was softer from the steam and he rubbed his own still-smooth cheek against it, hearing Goody chuckle, sounding half-asleep already, and utterly at ease.

Billy was tempted to make a comment about Goody's extended silence, but he could feel such simple pleasure from their closeness, and could feel Goody letting himself float in it too. He kept the touch on Goody's cheek, thumb stroking into scratchy beard and soft lips, murmuring soft endearments and feeling Goody's lips shape them back at him. His other hand stroked up from Goody's waist, over a familiar roadmap of scars and bones, and of protective muscles from the bits of gentle training Billy faintly remembered his parents sharing, before they came to this land; training he'd managed to sweet-talk Goody into doing with him, most evenings. He complained and chatted rather than follow a meditative silence, but he'd learned the movements well enough, even in his boots, and Billy had long since accepted that Goody's voice brought him more ease than supposedly soothing silence. And he'd noticed Goody's sleep improve when they'd started: that was worth the world.

Gliding up, the soap slicking his touch over already soft skin, automatically curving toward upper chest and.. Billy turned inward with an apologetic hum when he felt Goody shiver at his unthinking touch over a soft nipple. They could tangle together later in their clean bed. Resting in this warmth was a better use of resource. It might be better if he could resist this stroking at all, but Billy so rarely got to touch, even now: it fed a need deep inside him to have this. 

Hair too coarse to be softened by water guided his hand down, nuzzling a playful kiss on Goody's lips as he circled his belly button with his index. Goody's ticklish chuckling rippled Billy's hand down further, to the soft belly that swelled to shape into his palm without help, his fingers splaying out to feel more as Billy breathed deep contentment, tempted to purr like the tame cats that hung around horse-stalls and rubbed all over his legs when he brushed their horses down as Goody sweet-talked some other stable-boy into not cheating Billy's horse out of food or care.

But then he felt Goody's back stiffen, and Billy jerked his head up, frowning in worry, only to see Goody's eyes open and too aware. Feel him pulling away from Billy's touch by some infinitesimal distance, and a trace of incomprehensible *shame* twisting his lips, "Billy, I.."

He fought the need to cling to the man and force him back as tight into Billy as he could be, knowing, *knowing* he needed to understand what was happening, first, "Goody. What-" 

"I know I'm no longer-" Goody's eyes dropped to his belly for only an instant before looking at Billy's chest where he'd been resting so comfortingly just instants ago, then away, over past Billy's shoulder.

It took feeling Goody suck his stomach in, taking away from Billy's hold, for him to take a guess at just what had pulled him out of his peace. Billy firmed his voice to call him back from the tension growing stronger with every second, "Goody." When those pale eyes reluctantly focused on him, he softened his voice, "I remember the first time we fucked," his hand slid to Goody's hip as he seemed to tense even more, "You were still almost starving," he felt the pain the memory still gave him flinch over his face, "The drink had barely kept you alive and you-" Billy lowered his face into Goody's hair, drawing him back closer, silently pleading him to let Billy back in again. He didn't like to remember how those days had felt.

He grunted in relief when Goody stopped drawing away, stiffly turning his head to lay his cheek against Billy's shoulder: half-hidden, but at least touching him. He dared to slip his palm back, waiting for Goody to tense, finally stroking ever so slightly at the soft belly flesh that meant Goody had enough peaceful moments now that he actually ate enough. Was healthy now; could rest, could eat. Mostly. But even with that proof, it still took Billy good long moments to push back the painful memories, even as Goody's hand came to rest on his forearm and hesitantly stroked reassurance, his body finally releasing its tension with a sigh against Billy's shoulder. Billy butted his way to press his lips to Goody's ear once he felt he had himself under control again, whispering painfully, "There were times I was afraid I would have to watch you die from not eating enough before you had enough of having me causing you problems."

Goody tried to sit up, at that, his head rising quickly, knocking Billy's jaw back with a surprised grunt, wide stricken eyes meeting Billy's, "Billy! I would *never*-"

Billy was shaking his head before he'd gotten two words out, slipping his hand from Goody's jaw to cover his mouth, "I know. I know now. I trust you; believe you. Have for years." He leant forward, leaning their foreheads together, "Believe *me*. I will always love you as you are. Always stay at your side."


End file.
